The Best Drum Sets For Church & Worship

As a drummer with years of experience playing in churches of all sizes, I have owned a lot of different drum kits. So I understand the importance of choosing the best drum set for you, your church, and your worship team. With all of the options out there, it can feel overwhelming to make a decision. Every drum set has its own unique voice and feel and you want to make sure you’re choosing the best one for your specific style and situation.

When I’m worshiping, I want the drums I’m playing to reflect what my spirit is singing. And that’s why I’ve compiled this list of the top 10 best drum sets for church and worship. Each of these kits has been chosen for its unique qualities and is perfect for church and worship. So, whether you’re a seasoned drummer or just starting, this list is sure to have something that will inspire and surprise you.

I also want to let you know about a video that will be super helpful as you seek to get the perfect worship drum tone.

The best drums in the world won’t sound good if you don’t know how to tune them properly.

Tuning your drums properly is essential to creating a great sound. Not only does it improve the confidence of your playing, but it also enhances the band’s overall sound.

In this video, Austin Davis, a drummer with 12 years of experience playing for worship artists like Kari Jobe and Lauren Daigle, shares his best drum tuning tips. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced drummer, these tips will help you take your drum sound to the next level. So, if you want to improve your sound and play more confidently, watch now!

Now without further ado…

Things We Considered When Choosing The Best Drum Sets For Church & Worship

1. Sound: For modern and contemporary worship music, you typically want drums that sound warm, punchy, and darker in tone.
2. Durability: Church and worship can require a lot of playing, so you want to ensure that the drums are built to withstand the demands of regular use. A drum set made to last will save you money in the long run. I’ve learned this the hard way more times than I wish to admit.
3. Easy to tune: The drums should be easy to tune and maintain, so you can focus on playing each week and not waste much time trying to keep your drums sounding good.
4. Size: Depending on the size of your worship space and the number of musicians in the band, you may need to consider the size of the drum set.
5. The noise level: In some environments, your drums must have a low noise level.
6. Cost: Drums can be expensive, so you’ll want to have a budget in mind and consider the cost of the drums in relation to your other expenses. In this article, we’ve picked drums of all different price ranges to help you make the best decision.
7. Brand and model: Some brands and models have a good reputation and have been tested over time. We made sure we only recommend brands that we know and trust.
8. Personal preference: As stated before, choosing a drum set is a personal decision. Since we’re picking drums specifically for a church and worship setting, we’ve only chosen drums that come highly recommended by professional worship drummers.

The 10 Best Drum Sets For Church & Worship

10. Yamaha Stage Custom Bebop ($549)

This option is for the church that doesn’t like loud acoustic drums. A little bit of psychology, when the kit is smaller, your congregation will perceive it as being quieter. This is technically not true, especially with proper mics and appropriate dynamics. Tuned correctly, this kit can accomplish the demands of any worship song. I have always been impressed with the quality of Yamaha’s drums, from the bottom of their line up to the top. Don’t underestimate this budget-friendly kit. 

9. Gretsch Drums Catalina Maple ($1,049)

Next, we have another budget-friendly drum set for church and worship. Introducing the Gretsch Catalina. This is a “do it all” drum set for a fraction of the price of other similar kits on the market. With the right heads and tuning, this kit is a solid workhorse. The Catalina series also comes in a variety of tom configurations. From youth groups to the “big church” sanctuary, this kit will fulfill your church’s needs. 

8. PDP Concept Maple Classic ($1,199)

PDP has upped their game over the past few years. I think of big and warm drum tones when thinking about what I want my drums to sound like in worship. This kit checks both of those boxes. And it does it on a budget. These claw-mounted wood hoops are one of my favorite styles of drums. Overall, this kit allows you to hone in on that warm, punchy tom sound you hear on many of your favorite worship songs.

7. Pearl President Series Deluxe ($1,620)

I don’t know about you, but I love vintage drums. They’re great for worship music because of their warmer tone. This is a remake of the President series that Pearl made in the 1960s. The luan shells emphasize that dark, punchy tone that works so well in worship. To have a kit that looks and sounds vintage, but has the versatility and reliability of a modern kit, is a no-brainer!

6. Pearl Session Studio Select ($1,969)

In my opinion, this Pearl Session Studio Select is just perfect. This is one of the best drum sets for the church that plays a blend of CCM and gospel music in their services. The combination of birch and mahogany shells gives the kit a warm underlying sound but still cuts through the mix without being too harsh. This 10″, 12″, 14″, and 16″ tom setup makes it extremely versatile when switching back and forth between genres. 

Hear/See this set played here on You Are Good by Israel Houghton

5. DW Performance Series ($2,300)

You can’t go wrong with the DW Performance series if you are a rock drummer or have one on your worship team, especially with the 24″ bass drum configuration. DW is one of the most recognizable brands out there for a reason. The quality of their shells and hardware is second to none. This kit in a big room would command attention with its looks and massive sound. 

4. Rogers Drums PowerTone ($2,465)

Rogers drums have been a staple in the studio for decades. They are now making drums again with the same formula that made them great in the 60s and 70s. I love this shell configuration. The 20″ bass drum is punchy but not too overbearing. Combined with the 13″ and 16″ toms, your tom grooves will sound like warm thunder. This is another case of a modern vintage-style kit, which is next-level quality.

Check out this custom Rogers Powertone snare drum in our How To Use A SPD-SX video!

3. Ludwig Classic Maple ($2,849)

To me, there’s nothing more iconic than a Ludwig Classic Maple drum set. This kit has so many qualities that are perfect for worship music. It can be loud and punchy one moment and then be soft and sensitive when you need it to be. This kit will give you that “big” worship sound with almost no effort. Ludwig has made great drums for a long time, and this is an excellent representation of that Ludwig sound.

You can see/hear this kit here in this song.

2. Sonor Vintage Series ($3,779)

This Sonor Vintage Series isn’t as common as some of the others on this list, but it needs to be. This kit is unique because it’s made out of Beechwood. Beechwood is known to be sensitive and has a great low-end punch. This kit would be ideal for playing wide open with no dampening. This kit has a warm sustain, so you want to let it ring out. This makes it one of the best drum sets for church and worship music. 

1. Gretsch Drums USA Custom ($4,361)

Gretsch has perfected the formula for punchy, round, and warm drum tones since the 1950s. This kit is “dream drum kit” status. We have one in our studio right now. What makes this kit special is how well it sounds under the mics. It plays phenomenally, and I’ve heard audio engineers describe it as “pre-mixed.” They almost have to do no work to make it sound amazing. This kit would sound incredible in any church, room, or worship setting.

You can see and hear this here!

How To Mic Drums for Church Service & Livestream [Video]

The drum kit itself is only one factor in getting a great sound out of your drums! Knowing how to mic drums specifically for church services and live streams is a huge and largely overlooked part of this process. We’re going to walk you through exactly how to do this. Watch Now!